Though at first glance the image above may look more like a sculpture or furniture, it's actually a wooden shoe designed by Rachel Jui Chi Chang, recent Royal College of Art graduate. Created for the RCA's annual show, her wooden designs integrate careful engineering based on the construction of another object of support: a chair. Likening shoes to other types of design, Chang told Dezeen Magazine, “I think footwear is a human support structure. Their construction is integral to the design and uses the principles of the slotting system found in furniture and engineering.”

Chang has created several shoe models made from maple wood and metal, with a focus on a stability. One design includes a heel supported by a wooden frame, while another consists of three pieces that come together to create a single body. While we don't know how comfortable these shoes really are, Chang makes a point that footwear must include support, and not just aesthetic appeal.